To The Day
by Taisi
Summary: He had no idea when he saw Eren today, curled up and comfortable as he waited with a book in his lap, looking up with eyes that lit up the whole room when Levi came in, that Eren was only there to share a seat with him.


The boy across the library was frowning down at the book that lay open on the table in front of him, eyes impossibly green and impossibly focused, like absolutely nothing existed past himself and the reading at hand.

Needless to say, Levi's silent appraisal from behind one of the computers went entirely unnoticed.

_Weird to get transfers in the middle of the semester. _He had almost managed to convince himself _that _was why he was staring the bright-eyed boy; certainly not because of the way the light from the window caught in his hair, or the long fingers that brushed carefully across the length of the page before turning it.

But then another unfamiliar student- one of the other three transfers, Levi assumed- was rushing across the room; he was a tiny thing, shy, Levi could tell, from the way he held his hands up in front of him like a shield, under the guise of holding the strap of his messenger bag in place.

And the subject of Levi's scrutiny glanced up when Blondie stopped beside him, and Levi felt his throat lock and something in his stomach do an unnecessarily acrobatic flip, because Green-eyes was _smiling, _such an open, sincere thing that Levi had to duck behind his monitor before anyone caught him gaping like a complete idiot.

_How does anyone smile at anyone like that?_

After a moment, he glanced back- he did not _peek _for the love of god- and the blond was gone, and Green-eyes was once again immersed in his reading like the book contained humanity's last hope of salvation or some reverent shit.

Unfortunately- and it really was _unfortunate- _Levi ached to see that smile again.

And it wasn't until the end of the week, when he'd managed to time their schedules right and entered the busy campus library to see Green-eyes curled in a loveseat in lieu of his- currently overcrowded- table, that the universe finally took pity.

The boy's notebook was balanced perilously on the armrest, and as Levi approached, preparing to set up at a computer only a few seats away, it fell and papers scattered across the carpeted floor.

His eyes cut from the book to the mess on the floor, and something beautiful and irritated crossed through the impossible green, but before he could so much as untuck his legs or set aside his book, Levi was there already; leaping as casually and coolly on this golden opportunity as he possibly could.

He scooted the papers together, stacking them meticulously and with care, and when he flicked a glance up, Green-eyes looked honestly baffled at the kind gesture. The expression made him want to smile.

"Sucks when the world cultures club has a presentation, they infiltrate and dominate like a fucking invading army. Glad you managed to find a seat though."

His voice was quiet and low; not by design, it was just how he talked, but it did make the boy tilt his head and listen a little more intently, and Levi had to fight not to shiver when some of that intense focus got directed his way. Seemed like Green-eyes looked at people like he looked at books.

But when he sat back on his heels and offered him the wayward papers and notebook, the dawning warmth on the other student's face was the only warning Levi got before, slow and warm and wonderful, _that smile _was tugging on his lips and he said, "Looks like the army's still on the move. They've just conquered the computers," and oh, shit was he teasing back? Really? A quick glance over Levi's shoulders proved that, yes, they had expanded their territory and his spot at the computer bank was a thing of the past.

"If you'd like," the other boy continued, drawing Levi's eyes back to his face like it was his fucking _profession, _and the way he shifted his legs and scooted over was all the invitation Levi needed. His smile was still a pleased, curled thing on his face when he said, "We could probably hold them off together."

Levi sat his bag down with decorum, accepting the seat next to him like it wasn't the only thing he'd been thinking about for four days, and said, "It's worth a shot."

Two weeks later to the day, and the loveseat is where they met like clockwork; it was safe and casual and Levi was still working up the courage to make a move that wasn't, when Eren uncapped a pen with his teeth as he stood to leave. Levi didn't have time to take a breath to form a spiel about germs before his hand is being cradled open and numbers are blooming in ink across his skin.

"I don't wanna make a habit out of driving all the way to campus on my off days just to sit here and wait for you," says the boy whose eyes still glow with passion when he reads, and that little admission was enough to glue Levi's tongue to the roof of his mouth because he had _no idea _when he saw Eren today, curled up and comfortable as he waited with a book in his lap, looking up when Levi came in with eyes that lit up the whole room, that Eren was only there to share a seat with him.

Eren folded his fingers closed, peeking at him through his bangs for a moment that was too precious for Levi _not _to memorize and hoard away, before he straightened and let go.

"Text me sometime," he said, and something earnest and shy worked its way in when he continued, "Or- or call. You know, when you're free, or."

It was pretty obvious he didn't make a habit of writing his phone number out on people's hands. Levi kept his closed like the digits on his palm might float away, realized that was stupid a little too late for comfort, and flicked a glance at him. He looked about two seconds away from actually _shuffling his feet, _and Levi bit back a smirk that probably would have looked too much like a smile anyway, pulling his phone out of his back pocket and unfolding his fingers to tap the numbers in.

"Oh." There's a dusting of pink in his face, but it's coupled by a stretching grin, and Eren dug his phone out, too. Levi held his up to his ear as it rang, feeling half his age and delighted by it, and Eren in turn looked far too thrilled to answer his as it went off- earning them a thunderously disapproving look from a member of staff that they both ignored with practiced ease- and answered with a playfully inquiring, "Hello?" that Levi found devastatingly endearing.

Levi caught his eyes and kept his voice smooth and low as he said through the phone, "Never put a pen cap in your mouth again, Jaeger. You have _no idea _how gross that is."

Eren's laughter in front of him and right in his ear was something he wanted to hear again and again and again.

Four years later to the day, Levi put the last box down inside the foyer. Weaving his way across the kitchen to open the small window above the sink, he turned and leaned against the counter; looking across the dusty, empty spaces that would soon be clean and full and _home. _

Footsteps, and a dear voice at the door he'd left open, belonged both to Eren, who tapped the door shut behind him with a foot and shrugged out of his jacket, phone tucked between his shoulder and his ear.

Levi watched from where he was, and when that fierce, kind gaze cut over to his, Levi still wasn't prepared for the intensity that burned straight through him, warm and bright in ways even fire wasn't, or for the smile that _still_ made his stomach do gymnastics.

Eren hung up the phone and came to stand with him, leaning against his shoulder as he studied the emptiness of what would be their home together the way he studied books, with impossible green eyes.

Levi pressed a kiss to his hair and after what felt like years, smiled back.


End file.
